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Presidential debate: Advantage, Romney

MITT ROMNEY looked like the comeback kid last Wednesday night in the first formal debate between the Republican nominee and President Obama.

He knocked the heavily favored president (at least when he’s using teleprompters) around on economic issues, the focus of this one-on-one match-up. If Mr. Romney had a face that was sad-eyed and droopy instead of chiseled, you could almost compare him to another underdog named Rocky who performed well in the clutch.

But presidential campaigns aren’t the movies, even though part of what happens is pure Hollywood. And winning one debate — the first of three — hardly guarantees a win on Election Day next month.

However, it does give Mr. Romney some much-needed momentum. His campaign had been lagging, especially in key swing states like Ohio that will determine which candidate is our next president. He needed a jolt. And he got one in Denver, where Mr. Obama seem to be afflicted with a case of Rocky Mountain lows.

The back-and-forth sparring between the two candidates covered topics including the economy, taxes, unemployment and healthcare reform.

Mr. Romney simply appeared to have more energy, and was quicker to cite studies, statistics, as well as offer immediate rebuttals to his opponent’s points. Mr. Obama, on the other hand, spoke slower and with much less gusto. In spite of speaking for four minutes longer than his opponent, the president seemed to get fewer points and ideas across to the audience.

The magnitude of Mr. Romney’s victory was also somewhat surprising, as Mr. Obama has had a solid lead in most, if not all, polls for the past few weeks. In a post-debate CBS poll of uncommitted voters, 56 percent said their opinion of Mr. Romney improved, while 13 percent said that of Mr. Obama.

Moderator Jim Lehrer did very little to hold the candidates to the time limits for each question, and seemed to be rolled over by both men.

Even many of the president’s supporters conceded that Mr. Romney’s debate performance was superior. Former Bill Clinton strategist James Carville told CNN, “I think Romney wanted to be there. I think he knew he needed this, and I think Obama gave the sense he wasn’t happy to be at this debate.”

While there are two more presidential debates in addition to a vice presidential debate, Mr. Romney’s dominating debate performance has given a shot of adrenaline to his campaign and his supporters. Give him Round 1.